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Chicago examiner vol xiii no 123 a m friday Chicago may 14 1915 friday rt-sisteral d s patent office ddirt rÂ»\!f pp"nt i imago and elsewhere rrvlch uinfc ctlin 1 iuijufbs two cents u.s demands end of submarine war to act if forced to maintain rights full el of message 51 by 111 states to han government by international news service ashington may 13 the text of the note from the united states to the german imperial government transmitted to=day to ambassador gerard at berlin and to be presented to=morrow morning to the german for eign office reads as follows the secretary of state to the american ambassa dor at berlin department of state washington may 13 115 please call on the minister of foreign affairs and after reading to him this communication leave with him a copy in view of recent acts of the german authorities 1 in violation of american rights on the high seas which culminated in the torpedoing and sinking of the british steamship lusitania on may 7 1915 by which over one hundred american citizens lost their lives it is clearly wise and desirable that the government of the united states and the im perial german government should come to a clear understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted tphe sinking of the british passenger steamship falaba by a ger * man submarine on march 28th through which leon c thrasher an american citizen was drowned the attack on april 28 on the ameru can vessel cushing by a german aeroplane the torpedoing on may 1 of the american vessel gulflight by a german submarine as the result of which two or more american citizens met their death and finally the torpedoing and sinking of the steamship lusitania constitute a series of events which the government of the united states has observed with growing concern distress and amazement tfff ecalling the humane and enlightened attitude hitherto as ** sumed by the imperial german government in matters of in ternational right and particularly with regard to the freedom of the seas having learned to recognize the german views and the ger man influence in the field of international obligation as always en gaged upon the side of justice and humanity and having under stood the instructions of the imperial german government to its naval commanders to be upon the same plane of humane action pre scribed by the naval codes of other nations the go vernment of the united states was loath to believe it cannot now bring itself to believe that these acts so absolutely contrary to the rules the practices and the spirit of modern warfare could have the countenance or sanction of that great govern ment t feels it to be its duty therefore to address the imperial german gov lernment concerning them with the utmost frankness and in the ear nest hope that it is not mistaken in expecting action on the part of the imperial german government which will correct the unfortunate impres sions which have been created and vindicate once more the position of that goverment with regard to the sacred freedom of the seas t i he government of the united states has been apprised that the lm * perial german government considered themselves to be obliged by the extraordinary circumstances of the present war and the measures adopted by their adversaries in seeking to cut germany off from all com merce to adopt methods of retaliation which go much beyond the or dinary methods of warfare at sea in the proclamation of a war zone from which they have warned neutral ships to keep away this govern ment has already taken occasion to inform the imperial german govern ment that it cannot admit the adoption of such measures of such a warn ing of danger to operate as in any degree an abbreviation of the rights of american ship masters or of american citizens bound on lawful er rands as passengers on merchant ships of belligerent nationalities and that it must hold the imperial german government to a strict account ability for any infringement of those rights intentional or unintentional i it does not understand the imperial german government to question those rights . it assumes on the contrary that the imperial german go v = ernment accepts as of course the rule that the lives of noncombatants whether they be of neutral citizenship or citizens of one of the nations at war cannot lawfully or rightfully be put in jeopardy by the capture or destruction of an unarmed merchantman and recognize also as all other nations do the obligations to take the usual precaution of visit and search to ascertain whether a suspected merchantman is in fact of beu hgerent nationality or is in fact carrying contraband of war under a neutral flag ffphe government of the united states therefore desires to call the *â– attention of the imperial german government with the utmost earnestness to the fact that the objection to their present method of at tack against the trade of their enemies lies in the practical impossibil ity of employing submarines in the destruction of commerce without disregarding those rules of fairness reason justice and humanity which all modern opinion regards as imperative it is practically impossible for the officers of a submarine to visit a merchantman at sea and exam ine her papers and cargo it is practically impossible for them to make a prize of her and if they cannot put a prize crew on board of her they cannot sink her without leaving her crew and all on board of her to the mercy of the sea in her small boats these facts it is understood the imperial german government frankly admit we are informed that in the instances of which we have spoken time enough for even that poor measure of safety was not given and in at least two of the cases cited not so much as a warning was received manifestly submarines cannot be used against merchantmen as the last few weeks have shown without an inevitable violation of many sacred principles of justice and humanity Â« american citizens act within their indisputable a rights in taking their ships and in traveling wherever their legitimate business calls them upon the high seas and exercise those rights in what should be the well justified confidence that their lives will not be endangered by acts done in clear violation of universally acknowledged in ternational obligations and certainly in the con fidence that their own government will sustain them in the exercise of their rights cct here was recently published in the newspapers of the united *> states i regret to inform the imperial german government a formal warning purporting to come from the imperial german 1us have right to travel with safety even in ships of belligerents " embassy at washington addressed to the people of the united states and stating in effect that any citizen of the united states who exercised his right to travel upon the seas would do so at his peril if his journey should take him within the zone of waters with in which the imperial german navy was using submarines against the commerce of great britain and france notwithstanding the re d spectfui but very earnest protest of his government the government of the united states i do not refer to this for the purpose of caufl ing the attention of the imperial german government at this tjm to the surprising irregularity of a communication from the m perial german embassy at washington addressed to the peo the united states through the newspapers but only for the nj of pointing out that no warning that an unlawful bbs inhuman act will be committed can possibl\wbmfi accepted as an excuse or palliation for that i or as an abatement of the responsibility fori commission filial * yf ong acquainted as this government has been with the charthqh *~* ter of the imperial german government and with the high principles of equity by which they have in the past been actuated and guided the government of the united states cannot believe that the commanders of the vessels which committed these acts of law lessness did so except under a misapprehension of the orders issued by the imperial german naval authorities it takes it for granted that at least within the practical possibilities of every such case the commanders even of submarines were expected to do nothing that would involve the lives of noncombatants or the safety of neutral ships even at the cost of failing of their object of capture or destruction tt confidently expects therefore that the im * perial german government will disavow the acts of which the government of the united states complains that they will make reparation so far as reparation is possible for injuries which are without measure and that they will take immedi ate steps to prevent the recurrence of anything so obviously subversive of the principles of war fare for which the imperial german government have in the past so wisely and so firmly contended f hphe government and people of the united states look to the im * . perial german government for just prompt and en lightened action in this vital matter with the greater confi dence because the united states and germany arb bound together not only by special ties of friend ship but also by the explicit stipulations of the treaty of 1828 between the united states and the kingdom of prussia pxpressions of regret and offers of reparation in case â€¢*-' of the destruction of neutral ships sunk by mistake while they may satisfy international obligations if no loss of life results cannot justify or excuse a practice the natural and necessary effect of which is to subject neutral nations and neutral persons to new and immeasurable risks wtt he imperial german government will not ex i pect the government of the united states to omit any word or any action necessary to the performance of its sacred duty of maintaining the rights of the united states and its citizens and of safeguarding their free exercise and enjoyment signed bryan america's note to germany stripped of diplomatic language the note from the united states to germany means it is time that germany listened to some very plain words as to what the united states will and will not stand the united states insists that germany disavow the acts of its naval officers in sinking merchantmen without making provision for the safety of those on board â€” that being the code of all civilized nations to which class it assumes germany be longs it being obvious that submarines cannot make provision for the safety of people on merchant ships before destroying them the only thing that will satisfy this country that the rights of americans to travel wherever their business calls them on the high seas will be respected is for germany to cease the use of submarines except against warships the american government intends to see that its citizens are protected against any violation of the acknowledged code of nations in dealing with merchant ships arrange your blockade so that passengers will have a chance to leave ships before the ships are torpedoed or the united states will take upon itself the duty of enforcing of such a rule finally if germany persists in its course the united states will take the necessary steps to protect its people and make the sea safe for them at the request of the gov ernment no copy of this newspaper will be sold be i j fore 4a m to-day ptfi

Chicago examiner vol xiii no 123 a m friday Chicago may 14 1915 friday rt-sisteral d s patent office ddirt rÂ»\!f pp"nt i imago and elsewhere rrvlch uinfc ctlin 1 iuijufbs two cents u.s demands end of submarine war to act if forced to maintain rights full el of message 51 by 111 states to han government by international news service ashington may 13 the text of the note from the united states to the german imperial government transmitted to=day to ambassador gerard at berlin and to be presented to=morrow morning to the german for eign office reads as follows the secretary of state to the american ambassa dor at berlin department of state washington may 13 115 please call on the minister of foreign affairs and after reading to him this communication leave with him a copy in view of recent acts of the german authorities 1 in violation of american rights on the high seas which culminated in the torpedoing and sinking of the british steamship lusitania on may 7 1915 by which over one hundred american citizens lost their lives it is clearly wise and desirable that the government of the united states and the im perial german government should come to a clear understanding as to the grave situation which has resulted tphe sinking of the british passenger steamship falaba by a ger * man submarine on march 28th through which leon c thrasher an american citizen was drowned the attack on april 28 on the ameru can vessel cushing by a german aeroplane the torpedoing on may 1 of the american vessel gulflight by a german submarine as the result of which two or more american citizens met their death and finally the torpedoing and sinking of the steamship lusitania constitute a series of events which the government of the united states has observed with growing concern distress and amazement tfff ecalling the humane and enlightened attitude hitherto as ** sumed by the imperial german government in matters of in ternational right and particularly with regard to the freedom of the seas having learned to recognize the german views and the ger man influence in the field of international obligation as always en gaged upon the side of justice and humanity and having under stood the instructions of the imperial german government to its naval commanders to be upon the same plane of humane action pre scribed by the naval codes of other nations the go vernment of the united states was loath to believe it cannot now bring itself to believe that these acts so absolutely contrary to the rules the practices and the spirit of modern warfare could have the countenance or sanction of that great govern ment t feels it to be its duty therefore to address the imperial german gov lernment concerning them with the utmost frankness and in the ear nest hope that it is not mistaken in expecting action on the part of the imperial german government which will correct the unfortunate impres sions which have been created and vindicate once more the position of that goverment with regard to the sacred freedom of the seas t i he government of the united states has been apprised that the lm * perial german government considered themselves to be obliged by the extraordinary circumstances of the present war and the measures adopted by their adversaries in seeking to cut germany off from all com merce to adopt methods of retaliation which go much beyond the or dinary methods of warfare at sea in the proclamation of a war zone from which they have warned neutral ships to keep away this govern ment has already taken occasion to inform the imperial german govern ment that it cannot admit the adoption of such measures of such a warn ing of danger to operate as in any degree an abbreviation of the rights of american ship masters or of american citizens bound on lawful er rands as passengers on merchant ships of belligerent nationalities and that it must hold the imperial german government to a strict account ability for any infringement of those rights intentional or unintentional i it does not understand the imperial german government to question those rights . it assumes on the contrary that the imperial german go v = ernment accepts as of course the rule that the lives of noncombatants whether they be of neutral citizenship or citizens of one of the nations at war cannot lawfully or rightfully be put in jeopardy by the capture or destruction of an unarmed merchantman and recognize also as all other nations do the obligations to take the usual precaution of visit and search to ascertain whether a suspected merchantman is in fact of beu hgerent nationality or is in fact carrying contraband of war under a neutral flag ffphe government of the united states therefore desires to call the *â– attention of the imperial german government with the utmost earnestness to the fact that the objection to their present method of at tack against the trade of their enemies lies in the practical impossibil ity of employing submarines in the destruction of commerce without disregarding those rules of fairness reason justice and humanity which all modern opinion regards as imperative it is practically impossible for the officers of a submarine to visit a merchantman at sea and exam ine her papers and cargo it is practically impossible for them to make a prize of her and if they cannot put a prize crew on board of her they cannot sink her without leaving her crew and all on board of her to the mercy of the sea in her small boats these facts it is understood the imperial german government frankly admit we are informed that in the instances of which we have spoken time enough for even that poor measure of safety was not given and in at least two of the cases cited not so much as a warning was received manifestly submarines cannot be used against merchantmen as the last few weeks have shown without an inevitable violation of many sacred principles of justice and humanity Â« american citizens act within their indisputable a rights in taking their ships and in traveling wherever their legitimate business calls them upon the high seas and exercise those rights in what should be the well justified confidence that their lives will not be endangered by acts done in clear violation of universally acknowledged in ternational obligations and certainly in the con fidence that their own government will sustain them in the exercise of their rights cct here was recently published in the newspapers of the united *> states i regret to inform the imperial german government a formal warning purporting to come from the imperial german 1us have right to travel with safety even in ships of belligerents " embassy at washington addressed to the people of the united states and stating in effect that any citizen of the united states who exercised his right to travel upon the seas would do so at his peril if his journey should take him within the zone of waters with in which the imperial german navy was using submarines against the commerce of great britain and france notwithstanding the re d spectfui but very earnest protest of his government the government of the united states i do not refer to this for the purpose of caufl ing the attention of the imperial german government at this tjm to the surprising irregularity of a communication from the m perial german embassy at washington addressed to the peo the united states through the newspapers but only for the nj of pointing out that no warning that an unlawful bbs inhuman act will be committed can possibl\wbmfi accepted as an excuse or palliation for that i or as an abatement of the responsibility fori commission filial * yf ong acquainted as this government has been with the charthqh *~* ter of the imperial german government and with the high principles of equity by which they have in the past been actuated and guided the government of the united states cannot believe that the commanders of the vessels which committed these acts of law lessness did so except under a misapprehension of the orders issued by the imperial german naval authorities it takes it for granted that at least within the practical possibilities of every such case the commanders even of submarines were expected to do nothing that would involve the lives of noncombatants or the safety of neutral ships even at the cost of failing of their object of capture or destruction tt confidently expects therefore that the im * perial german government will disavow the acts of which the government of the united states complains that they will make reparation so far as reparation is possible for injuries which are without measure and that they will take immedi ate steps to prevent the recurrence of anything so obviously subversive of the principles of war fare for which the imperial german government have in the past so wisely and so firmly contended f hphe government and people of the united states look to the im * . perial german government for just prompt and en lightened action in this vital matter with the greater confi dence because the united states and germany arb bound together not only by special ties of friend ship but also by the explicit stipulations of the treaty of 1828 between the united states and the kingdom of prussia pxpressions of regret and offers of reparation in case â€¢*-' of the destruction of neutral ships sunk by mistake while they may satisfy international obligations if no loss of life results cannot justify or excuse a practice the natural and necessary effect of which is to subject neutral nations and neutral persons to new and immeasurable risks wtt he imperial german government will not ex i pect the government of the united states to omit any word or any action necessary to the performance of its sacred duty of maintaining the rights of the united states and its citizens and of safeguarding their free exercise and enjoyment signed bryan america's note to germany stripped of diplomatic language the note from the united states to germany means it is time that germany listened to some very plain words as to what the united states will and will not stand the united states insists that germany disavow the acts of its naval officers in sinking merchantmen without making provision for the safety of those on board â€” that being the code of all civilized nations to which class it assumes germany be longs it being obvious that submarines cannot make provision for the safety of people on merchant ships before destroying them the only thing that will satisfy this country that the rights of americans to travel wherever their business calls them on the high seas will be respected is for germany to cease the use of submarines except against warships the american government intends to see that its citizens are protected against any violation of the acknowledged code of nations in dealing with merchant ships arrange your blockade so that passengers will have a chance to leave ships before the ships are torpedoed or the united states will take upon itself the duty of enforcing of such a rule finally if germany persists in its course the united states will take the necessary steps to protect its people and make the sea safe for them at the request of the gov ernment no copy of this newspaper will be sold be i j fore 4a m to-day ptfi